Win for Norfolk Christian website

Keith Morris' Christian website attracts every month

Network Norwich & Norfolk is named the UK's best regional church website in a national web competition organized by Christian Aid and The Church Times.

The Surefish.co.uk 2009 Church Website of the Year Awards recognise the best and most innovative local, regional and national church websites.

"It's great to get national recognition for our website," said Keith Morris, website editor.

The Network Norwich & Norfolk site was launched in October 2005.

The Norfolk-based Christian community website beat off competition from The Diocese of Manchester and Leicester to win the title of Regional Church Website of the Year.

Useful to the community

The website was judged on its design, ease of use, navigation, images, content, engagement with visitors, use of technology and regularity of updates.

"It has original content, is useful to the community and is consistently updated with regular new content. It is a friendly, informative, interactive and well-structured site," said competition judges.

Keith Morris collected the award for Network Norwich & Norfolk in a presentation ceremony hosted by BBC Songs of Praise TV presenter Pam Rhodes at Christian Aid's London headquarters.

"We are always looking to develop, innovate and move forward in our work," said Keith.

"We try and help all parts of the local Christian community connect and communicate with each other.

Keith Morris (centre right) and John Betts (right) collect their website award

"Our expansion to cover Norfolk as well as Norwich has obviously paid off and more and more people are visiting and contributing to the website every month," he added.

Reepham Benefice website, from Norwich, was also shortlisted into the final ten for the title of Church Website of the Year.

Their website has had 11,000 visitors since it was launched in November 2007.

"Our new rector had seen the huge benefits, not simply for church members, but also for a wider audience who could engage with the Christian faith from the comfort of their own homes," said Natasha Osborne from the Reepham Benefice website.

The full list of winning websites is:

Blog Award:

Winner - Jenny Baker, Sophia Network

Highly Commended - Church Mouse

Highly Commended - Unfinished Christian

Innovation Award:

Winner - Pray As You Go

National Church Website Award:

Winner - Church of England

Regional Church Website Award:

Winner - Network Norwich & Norfolk

Highly Commended - Diocese of Manchester

Local Church Website of the Year:

Winner - St Andrew's Church, Higher Blackley, Manchester

Youth Website Award:

Winner - Connect Southampton

Special awards:

USPG

Langside Parish Church, Glasgow